Baseball Games

The other week my mom decided that she wanted to go see a "Bee's" baseball game with the family. (They're a minor league baseball team in Utah.) We were all for it and so the tickets were obtained and away we went.

It was a perfect night.

When we got there we did the normal things that people do when they go to baseball games. We got hot dogs and drinks and popcorn. And then we sat there. And I not so secretly wondered how long a full game of baseball would go for. I'd gone to baseball games before, but never before the 4th or 5th inning. And here we were. 30 minutes before the game even started.

Fortunately people watching is always good for entertainment. It didn't disappoint here either. But as I was looking around I noticed one of the baseball players from Albuquerque talking to a fan. He talked to the fan for a while took a picture and then proceeded to sign some autographs for a bunch of little kids. I love when athletes take the time to be kind to those that look up to them. This man is #20, Matt McBride.  And yes I looked him up after this happened.

Then later that game another player from the Albuquerque team started handing out bubble gum and sunflower seeds to a bunch of little baseball players sitting in the stands. I loved this.

I tried to get a picture with all the kids down there, but wasn't fast enough.

Well the game continued onward and we made it until about the end of the 7th inning before I decided I needed to go home and get some decent sleep before work the next morning.

Also, my parents have been married for over 23 years and they still hold hands. I love it. Life goals.

Go out and make the world a little better.

Losing Things

I've decided that I'm not very creative when it comes to coming up with a title for these posts. Aw well.

Anywho, have you ever lost something? No? You don't lose various items and find them in the most random of places? You've never lost your phone and then realized that you'd put it in the freezer in exchange for some ice cream? Well, that's a shame. Because it's really quite entertaining when you ask a roommate to call your phone for you and you hear your ringtone coming from the fridge. Stuff like that happens all the time for me, so I don't stress out very much when I am unable to find my phone or something else for a couple of hours.  I just assume that it will show up eventually.

The other Sunday I had just gotten to church and realized that I didn't have my phone on me.  That didn't used to be a problem at all, but since I've started using the scripture app on my phone I like to have it with me. I just assumed that I'd either left it in my car or at my apartment so I just continued on my merry way.

After church when I was driving back home, I realized that my phone wasn't in my car and figured I'd left it on my bed or something. When I got home I looked around a little bit, but couldn't find it and so eventually asked my roommate if she would call me so that I could find it. She did and somebody answered it!

Two girls said that they'd found it in the road and they'd been trying to find the owner.  My phone has a lock on it, but I have my home, dad's cell, and mom's cell as emergency numbers that can be called without unlocking my phone. They had called my mom trying to find out where I live to return it to me. They came over to my apartment, handed me my phone, and I thanked them profusely. I was so grateful that they were willing to go through the trouble of finding me in order to return something that they could have easy stolen to use themselves or sold it to somebody else.

Go out and make the world a little better.

Special Needs Activity Program

These last couple of months I have been truly blessed to have been able to help with the Special Needs Activity Program (SNAP).  What this means is that every Thursday from 7 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m. I would meet with other counselors and we would have various activities with people with special needs.  It was one of the greatest things I've been privileged to do, and I learned so very much from them. Here are some of the things I learned.

First, they were so accepting of absolutely everyone. It didn't take long until they would come running up to me, giving me a huge hug and sometimes a kiss on the cheek. It didn't matter what you looked like. It didn't matter whether your life was perfect or a total mess. They loved you anyway. In fact, every time I would go to SNAP, Kathy, one of the girls I worked with, would tell me I looked so good. She told me that whether I had literally rolled out of bed that morning for work or I had put in the minimum effort possible.

Second, they appreciated the simple things in life. They were always so happy. I wish I could show you the pure joy I saw on their faces when they made something or when they were chosen to help out with some activity.

Third, they loved to help! They always wanted to be involved and they wanted to help everyone out. One week I was in charge of a ring toss game and so I spent a lot of time gathering up the rings to hand to the next person in line. Well, it wasn't long before so many people were there helping me find the rings, pick them up, and hand them to the next person in line.

Forth, they weren't afraid to show their talents. We had a talent show for an activity one week and it was incredible to see the amount of special needs people who got up to dance, sing, tell jokes, or play the ukulele. And it didn't matter if they were off key. It didn't matter if they fell down while dancing. They loved it. And while they were watching each other, they didn't make fun of each other if the person performing messed up and wasn't perfect. They cheered for everyone.

While working with these incredible people it made me wish that we could be more like them. I wished people could be more accepting, happier, more helpful, and less judgmental.

This is Kathy, she has beautiful smile!

Counselor Libby and Marlana.
Marlana played the ukulele for us all the time!

Toni has one of the greatest laughs I've ever heard.

Me and Alex.
She has one of the greatest Griffyndor scarfs!

I couldn't get Kathy to hold still for another picture.

Go out and make the world a little better.